Data storage devices store digitally encoded information on a data storage medium, such as a disc. A head is used to read and/or write information to the disc or storage medium. The head includes a transducer element, such as a writer and/or reader, which is fabricated on or coupled to a slider body to read and/or write information to the disc or media.
Typically, the head flies over the disc surface via pressurization of an air bearing surface or surfaces of the slider body. In particular, during operation, rotation of the disc creates an air flow along air bearing surfaces of the slider so that the slider floats above the disc surface for read or write operations. The head is positioned relative to data tracks on the disc surface via a head actuator. The head is coupled to the actuator via a suspension assembly. The suspension assembly includes a load beam, which supplies a load force to the slider body which counteracts the lifting force of the air bearing surface to provide a fly height of the slider body relative to the disc or media surface.
Manufacturing processes and tolerances introduce waviness or asperities to the disc surface. Disc waviness or variations can introduce pressure disturbances or gradients along the air bearing surface. As form factor size decreases and drive storage density increases, fly height or head-media spacing for the data heads is decreasing. Thus, it is important to control head-media spacing and/or localized protrusion of the transducer elements or write pole. The present application provides solutions to these and other problems, and offers other advantages over the prior art.